Japanese equities fell sharply on Thursday, pulling back from recent record levels as global technology and AI stocks came under pressure. The Nikkei 225 Index dropped 1.36% to close at 67,470, while the Topix Index declined 1.11% to 3,952.

Local markets tracked weakness in US futures after chipmaker Broadcom issued a downbeat outlook, dampening sentiment across the tech sector. Renewed tensions between the US and Iran also weighed on investor confidence, pushing energy prices higher and keeping inflation and interest-rate concerns in focus.

Among individual stocks, SoftBank Group slumped 11.3% due to its heavy exposure to AI-related investments. Other notable decliners included Kioxia Holdings (-1.5%), Fujikura (-3.9%), Murata Manufacturing (-5%), Taiyo Yuden (-3.9%), and Furukawa Electric (-3.8%).

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